New York Judge Declines to Overturn Verdict on Trump's 'Hush Money' Case
A Supreme Court ruling regarding presidential immunity does not exonerate Donald Trump from responsibility, according to Judge Juan Merchan. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**Presidential immunity does not absolve him of guilt, Judge Juan Merchan has ruled**
The Manhattan judge overseeing Donald Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial has declined to overturn the guilty verdict against the former president, asserting that a significant Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity is not relevant to this case.
This trial is one of Trump’s remaining legal challenges, following the dismissal of charges in two federal cases by Special Counsel Jack Smith, concerning Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and his efforts to impede the certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Additionally, a Georgia judge threw out eight of the thirteen state-level election interference charges after Trump’s recent presidential election win.
In a 41-page ruling released on Monday, Judge Juan Merchan stated that the “defendant’s motion to dismiss the indictment and verdict is denied.”
Last year, Trump faced charges for inaccurately reporting “hush money” payments made to porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2017. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg successfully escalated what would typically be treated as a misdemeanor into 34 felony counts, corresponding to each instance of the payments recorded in Trump’s documentation. Trump was found guilty on all counts in May.
However, the US Supreme Court determined in July that actions taken by a president while in office—such as Trump’s actions in 2017—cannot lead to prosecution. Trump’s legal team argued that certain evidence presented in the trial, including the former president’s financial disclosures and social media posts, should be considered official conduct that can’t be used to strengthen a case based on personal conduct.
Merchan rejected this assertion. “Even if this court were to deem all of the contested evidence… as official conduct,” he noted, it would still conclude that Trump’s “decidedly personal acts of falsifying business records poses no danger of intrusion on the authority and function of the executive branch.”
Trump spokesman Steven Cheung characterized the ruling as “a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s decision on immunity,” asserting that “this lawless case should have never been brought.”
Trump has yet to comment on the ruling. Prior to being placed under a gag order earlier this year, he referred to Bragg as “fat Alvin,” Merchan as “conflicted,” and accused both of serving Joe Biden’s interests in an attempt to undermine his campaign.
Merchan has postponed Trump’s sentencing date following last month’s election and is scheduled to consider another motion from Trump’s legal team asking that the case be dismissed based on his electoral victory. In a letter issued on Monday, Merchan indicated he is still evaluating the motion, without providing a timeline for his ruling.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
The Manhattan judge overseeing Donald Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial has declined to overturn the guilty verdict against the former president, asserting that a significant Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity is not relevant to this case.
This trial is one of Trump’s remaining legal challenges, following the dismissal of charges in two federal cases by Special Counsel Jack Smith, concerning Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and his efforts to impede the certification of President Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory. Additionally, a Georgia judge threw out eight of the thirteen state-level election interference charges after Trump’s recent presidential election win.
In a 41-page ruling released on Monday, Judge Juan Merchan stated that the “defendant’s motion to dismiss the indictment and verdict is denied.”
Last year, Trump faced charges for inaccurately reporting “hush money” payments made to porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2017. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg successfully escalated what would typically be treated as a misdemeanor into 34 felony counts, corresponding to each instance of the payments recorded in Trump’s documentation. Trump was found guilty on all counts in May.
However, the US Supreme Court determined in July that actions taken by a president while in office—such as Trump’s actions in 2017—cannot lead to prosecution. Trump’s legal team argued that certain evidence presented in the trial, including the former president’s financial disclosures and social media posts, should be considered official conduct that can’t be used to strengthen a case based on personal conduct.
Merchan rejected this assertion. “Even if this court were to deem all of the contested evidence… as official conduct,” he noted, it would still conclude that Trump’s “decidedly personal acts of falsifying business records poses no danger of intrusion on the authority and function of the executive branch.”
Trump spokesman Steven Cheung characterized the ruling as “a direct violation of the Supreme Court’s decision on immunity,” asserting that “this lawless case should have never been brought.”
Trump has yet to comment on the ruling. Prior to being placed under a gag order earlier this year, he referred to Bragg as “fat Alvin,” Merchan as “conflicted,” and accused both of serving Joe Biden’s interests in an attempt to undermine his campaign.
Merchan has postponed Trump’s sentencing date following last month’s election and is scheduled to consider another motion from Trump’s legal team asking that the case be dismissed based on his electoral victory. In a letter issued on Monday, Merchan indicated he is still evaluating the motion, without providing a timeline for his ruling.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
